There are many forms of arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis is any form of arthritis that involves the immune system and inflammation. The characteristic symptoms of inflammation are swelling, heat, redness of skin, pain, and loss of function. There are different types of inflammatory arthritis.
Autoimmune Disorders
The body treats it own tissues as a foreign object and reacts to this foreign object with inflammation
Rheumatoid arthritis - antibodies produced by the body attack the synovial membrane that encloses each joint
Lupus - systematically affects connective tissues and organs
Ankylosing Spondylitis - a progressive form of arthritis that causes inflammation of the spine and large joints
Reiter's Syndrome - a chronic, progressive disease that can affect the joints, tendon attachments, skeleton, and the eye's conjunctiva and mucous membranes
Psoriatic arthritis - causes inflammation of the skin and joints
Inflammatory bowel disease - inflammatory arthritis can be associated with this disease
Other Causes of Inflammatory Arthritis
Inflammatory arthritis can be caused by other conditions, as well. Reactive arthritis is caused by certain types of bacteria and can develop from an infection in another part of your body. The deposit of crystalline structures in the joints causes gout and pseudogout. Elevated blood levels of uric acid, which is a waste product, can form in the joints when the kidney does not properly dispose of the waste.
Symptoms of Inflammatory Arthritis
The symptoms of inflammatory arthritis can include the following:
Pain in one or more joints
Swelling in one or more joints
The affected joint is usually warmer than other joints
Stiffness and decrease of ability to move affected joints
Symptoms may appear after a minor illness or emotional stress
Skin around joints may become red and tender
Treatment of Inflammatory Arthritis
The symptoms of inflammatory arthritis can be treated with medicines or natural remedies. However, it is very important to find the cause of the arthritis so that the root problem can be treated as well. Medications can be used to treat the pain and inflammation, but there are many natural remedies that have been more successful in treating the cause of the inflammatory arthritis. If you use medications to relieve the symptoms of inflammatory arthritis, be sure to learn of any side effects or reactions to other medications or food.
Some natural remedies for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis include:
Exercise - a regular exercise regimen helps to avoid stiffness of the joints associated with inflammatory arthritis
Water aerobics - endorphins produced in the brain during water aerobics can help ease the pain of inflammatory arthritis
Valerian - this can be used to treat the pain of inflammatory arthritis. This natural medication is a known sedative and caution should be used - some people have experienced withdrawal symptoms when stopping abruptly.
Comfrey - a comfrey salve can be used to reduce the inflammation of the affected joints
Mangosteen - this fruit has been shown to relieve both the inflammation and pain associated with inflammatory arthritis
Omega-3 fatty acids - can be found in foods such as cold-water fish, walnut, and flaxseeds.
Diet for Inflammatory Arthritis
Diet is also another way that you can prevent or lessen the symptoms associated with inflammatory arthritis. A healthy diet is important for overall health. There are some foods that can trigger the onset of inflammation in the joints and some foods that decrease the onset of inflammation. If you suffer from inflammatory arthritis, you should eliminate milk and milk products. You should avoid polyunsaturated fats and products that are made with partially hydrogenated oils. The best kind of diet for those who suffer from inflammatory arthritis is low in protein and high in carbohydrates. Some of the common foods that can trigger the symptoms of arthritis are milk and dairy products, beef, corn, and wheat. Avoiding these foods can help you to avoid triggering the symptoms. In general, a healthy diet and regular exercise can help you to avoid many of the symptoms of inflammatory arthritis.
Diagnosis occurs by monitoring all the symptoms collectively and examining if the effects continue over time. If the symptoms are symmetrical, meaning they occur on both sides of the body in the same joints, this would help in the classification of the type. The three most common types of arthritis are Rheumatoid, Osteo and Psoriatic.
The universal symptoms of this inflammatory condition are never ending pain in the joints, rigidity in joints when inactive, partial movement, touch sensitivity, body-corresponding joint pain, and swelling. These generally occur in the joints of the legs and the arms, especially the wrists and fingers. Another unexpected symptom is fatigue. Often, the person affected with arthritis will notice muscle fatigue in the morning. Along with the chronic joint problems this fatigue could be a result of poor sleep owing to pain during the previous night.
Common Types:
The most widespread arthritic type known is Rheumatoid Arthritis. In the United States more than 70 million people have been affected. The causes of this condition are still unknown to health experts, although bacterium or viruses have been suggested. Some theories formulated are that bacterium or a virus affects the people who already prone to this disease due to a genetic disposition.
Another type of this disease, referred to as Psoriatic Arthritis, has five different varieties. Each one is typified by the pain, unease, pulsating sensation, and sensitivity of the joint. Other symptoms are common such as inflexibility in joints as well as fatigue and stiffness in morning.
When bones have worn out causing them to rub together, severe pain is experienced plus the uncomfortable sensation of actually hearing the bones rubbing against each other. There are many causes for this inflammation of the joints including a sports injury, trauma, aging, genetics, or obesity or even chemical changes in the body.
Psoriatic Arthritis is similar to Rheumatic in symptoms, especially the symmetric form which affects the same joints on both sides of the body. The asymmetric form however, affects a maximum of three joints which may be different joints on different sides of the body.
Spondylitis affects the shoulders, spinal chord and neck. Mutilans causes severe deformation that affects the small joints in the fingers and toes. D.I.P. is another type of this disorder, which affects mainly the small joints.
If you observe any of the above symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. Treatment and relief of pain is available.
Summary:
Arthritis is a never-ending joint pain. There are numerous types of this chronic disease, with different symptoms. Fortunately, this illness is treatable to the extent that the person can lead a relatively normal lifestyle.
Both Dr John Anne & Brooke Hayles are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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